FATA people should be facilitated to elect PA members in 2018 election: Sartaj Aziz

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Monday said people from Federally Administered Tribal Areas should be provided opportunity to elect representatives for provincial assembly in the general election 2018.

Winding up discussion on FATA reforms, the Advisor said, the members have more or less agreed to merger of tribal agencies into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province but there is the issue of time span, or limit of transition period.

"Therefore, if FATA are not given representation in provincial assembly in the election 2018, the matter will be delayed for another five years," he stated.

He said the FATA issue has been lingering over decades and now people, Mishrans and politicians from FATA have agreed with majority to merger of tribal areas into KP. "We faced numerous technical, legal and constitutional problems in finalizing this report. But, it is appreciable that majority of people have agreed with this report."

The Advisor also mentioned to problems like internally displaced persons (IDPs) settlement, reconstruction and infrastructure development to bring FATA at par with other areas of KP province.

For the purpose, he proposed to enhance present allocations for FATA from Rs 20 billion to three percent of divisible pool that makes Rs 90 billion. "With this allocation, uplift work can be continued till the merger is made."

He also proposed local government system in FATA, recruiting 20,000 more levies, linking FATA areas with high court and Supreme Court and building infrastructure.

The Advisor also informed the House that a provision of Riwaj Law had also been introduced in reforms as those people who want to resolve their disputes through Jirga instead of courts system, can also avail from this provision.

He said work has been started on putting in place local government system in FATA as he informed that recommendations of the committee and those presented by the members would be presented before the Cabinet for approval within two weeks, or so and then before the Parliament for legislation.

Sartaj Aziz said it is priority of the government to bring FATA people at par with settled areas and provide them better education, health and development facilities.